Esince India were last here for the New Year and the first Test, the drought situation in Cape Town has not exactly improved. The locals here have started talking of Day Zero – the day they have to stand in the queue for water. The city is in the midst of its worst water crisis.

The crisis – if not of such humongous proportions – is there, somewhat, for the South African team as well. Without their three best players (AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock), they are facing their first-ever home series loss against India and suffering a collective brain-fade while facing the two young Indian spinners. The third ODI tonight has thus become asurvival test for the South Africans.

So much for the home crisis. There is a bit of it in the Indian camp as well. In the euphoria over the 2-0 lead and devastating bowling from Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal (right), one downside has gone largely unnoticed. That is the dry run from an otherwise blazing blade of Rohit Sharma (above). He has been off the boil since arriving in South Africa.

Scores of 15, 20 in winning causes are not exactly alarming, but whether they do they justice to his reputation is the point. The drought of runs gets further amplified in the larger picture of the series. His bat has not exactly done the talking the way it is known to, if one were to factor in his Tests scores here as well (11, 10, 10 and 47). The sequence does no justice to his stature.

But Rohit’s batting skills are held highly by this team management, and there may not be a better occasion for the vice-captain to fire than at the Newlands Stadium. A win today will ensure that India will get to share the ODI trophy and Rohit, who has had good starts in the first two ODIs, will be expected to live up to his billing.

However, Shikhar Dhawan downplayed Rohit’s run drought. “I feel Rohit is playing amazingly. The way he’s timing the ball has been amazing. Even in the last match he was playing very well, but unfortunately he got out. I don’t see any concerns with his batting – he has performed so well from the Champions Trophy till now. It happens that sometimes you don’t score runs, but the way he’s timing the ball is what matters the most. There’s no problem (with Rohit). Maybe you think there’s a problem, but I don’t. It’s just a matter of one innings and he’ll score runs. Then all problems will get solved,” Rohit’s opening partner said in response to a pointed query on the vice-captain’s form.

Now, Dhawan may be on the mark. The fact that the wins have come without a major contribution from Rohit is not necessarily a negative thought to entertain for the team management. Besides, Rohit’s international career has always had this kind of pattern – a good score or a few good scores are followed by a few none-too-good performances. When he fires, he fires big.

Rohit apart, every other member of the side will be needed to do what they have been assigned, so that the rare opportunity of beating South Africans in their own den, is not frittered away. The significance of such a win needs no emphasis.

South Africa positive
Meanwhile, South Africa expressed confidence that they could turn it around. “It is very important we keep speaking the right language in the sport. When you’re losing it’s tough to find an answer. There’s so many answers that you can throw out. At the end of the day, you need to speak the right language in your mind, be really strong mentally, and all you can do is strive to perfect your skills.

“The most important thing is to stay positive and try not to seek too many answers. When you’re winning, you don’t ask yourself too many questions. It’s all great. We need to try to change the momentum. Anything can happen in sport. We are definitely not out of it, definitely not,” Kagiso Rabada said.

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